vrbart

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Hi, this is my first post here after lurking for years.

I need an opinion on whether or not this is an emergency for my tortoise. The earliest exotic vet appointment is August 5th so I don't know if I should wait or not for his check-up.

I moved a little over a month ago and my Horsfield tortoise, Leo, didn't take it too well. He's about 11 years old. I got him in 2014 from Petco....they did not give me any helpful information when I got him and I only started adding butternut squash and carrots to his diet two years ago after the vet recommended it. I regret not getting more information from a vet at the time that I got him but he's doing okay. No pyramiding, no sickness, or anything out of the ordinary since I got him.

So after the move, he was definitely stressed and was pacing a lot. It took him a few weeks to adjust and for his behavior to go back to normal. But for the past week or so he's been really lethargic, burrowing in the substrate and sleeping all day. If I disturb him and wake him up, he'll eat but only if I lift up the log he sleeps under and hand feed him first, then he'll eat on his own. But he doesn't finish his food like he used to. He'll eat for 10 minutes and then go back to sleep. He normally is really active and does not sleep this much. He normally stretches his neck out when he sees me and comes towards me. And he loves being held and walking around. But now he's sleeping all the time.

Other things to note:
-I switched spring mix brands and carrot brands (from baby carrots to the normal ones) because of my move, based on the closest grocery store.
-Starting last year, he has been humping this little bed thing by his log and gets riled up before doing so. It's usually every other day or two. He hasn't done it in the past 2 weeks.
-He is still pooping but not every day.
-I do not hear any wheezing.
-His mouth and eyes look good.
 

wellington

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Sounds like his diet needs improving. Carrots should not be a daily food. Broad dark leafy weeds and greens should be the normal and a wide variety of them.
Kale, endive, mustard and collard greens. Dandelion and plantain weed from the yard.
Also, what is the basking temp?
What type of lighting, heating, substrate are you using. Pics of the enclosure too would help.
 

vrbart

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Randolph
Sounds like his diet needs improving. Carrots should not be a daily food. Broad dark leafy weeds and greens should be the normal and a wide variety of them.
Kale, endive, mustard and collard greens. Dandelion and plantain weed from the yard.
Also, what is the basking temp?
What type of lighting, heating, substrate are you using. Pics of the enclosure too would help.
Hi thank you for responding. I do not give him carrots daily, only once or twice a week, is that ok? He loves dandelions so I incorporate those too. I give him the spring mix along with calcium D3 powder. I also give him the zoo med dried flower topper occasionally. The spring mix has red and green lettuce, collard greens, arugula, spinach (which I pick out bc he hates it and it's not as nutritional), radicchio, kale, etc.
I'm not home right now but will attach photos soon!
The basking temperature is around 90. I use the exo terra basking lamp in a dome. I also have the zilla UVB lamp which I switch out every 6 months even if the light still works.
I have the zoo med reptile bark substrate.
Thank you again for responding!
 

wellington

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I would cut back on the carrots.
Add more of the greens you do feed. Raise basking temp to 95-100.
Do daily warm water soaks and add some baby pedialyte to the soak water.
Be sure the over all temp at her level is not over 80. Raised to 85 if you think she is sick.
Do all mentioned and see how she does in a weeks time. Let night temps drop to room temp. Night temps can go as low as 60. Add humidity 30-50% if you havent, by dampening the substrate.
 

vrbart

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I would cut back on the carrots.
Add more of the greens you do feed. Raise basking temp to 95-100.
Do daily warm water soaks and add some baby pedialyte to the soak water.
Be sure the over all temp at her level is not over 80. Raised to 85 if you think she is sick.
Do all mentioned and see how she does in a weeks time. Let night temps drop to room temp. Night temps can go as low as 60. Add humidity 30-50% if you havent, by dampening the substrate.
Okay, how do I raise the basking temperature without buying a new heat lamp?
And my original question was: is this an emergency, should I take him in to the emergency vet clinic?
By the way, I soaked him last night and he pooped normally.
 

wellington

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Okay, how do I raise the basking temperature without buying a new heat lamp?
And my original question was: is this an emergency, should I take him in to the emergency vet clinic?
By the way, I soaked him last night and he pooped normally.
Lower the bulb a bit closer to the tort.
As of now, if you fix things suggested, there may be no need for a vet. That's what we try to do here. Get things right first so maybe a vet isn't needed. Most vets can do more harm then good.
If there was a need at this point to rush to a vet, we would have said so. Housing, diet and care needs to be on point. If that is all correct, and things don't improve in a few days to a week or so, then a vet visit may be in order. Best first to make sure all conditions are tip top.
 

vrbart

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Lower the bulb a bit closer to the tort.
As of now, if you fix things suggested, there may be no need for a vet. That's what we try to do here. Get things right first so maybe a vet isn't needed. Most vets can do more harm then good.
If there was a need at this point to rush to a vet, we would have said so. Housing, diet and care needs to be on point. If that is all correct, and things don't improve in a few days to a week or so, then a vet visit may be in order. Best first to make sure all conditions are tip top.
Thank you so much! I will make sure everything is on point. I really appreciate your responses and help. I can update this thread if anything changes. This morning he got up on his own but wouldn't eat at all.
 

wellington

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Thank you so much! I will make sure everything is on point. I really appreciate your responses and help. I can update this thread if anything changes. This morning he got up on his own but wouldn't eat at all.
Give a warm water soak when he gets up, put pedialyte in the soak and then feed him right after and see if he will eat then.
If he still not interested n eating, keep doing the pedialyte and baby food carrot soaks daily and feed after them.
 

wellington

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Btw, if he is pooping, he is eating something. So that's good. Just keep up the soaks, get all temps correct and hopefully he will get back to normal soon
I would also do the morning soak in a smaller container with the pedialyte and baby food. Then do another afternoon soak in just water but in a large container where he can move around a lot, like the bath tub.
 

vrbart

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Location (City and/or State)
Randolph
Btw, if he is pooping, he is eating something. So that's good. Just keep up the soaks, get all temps correct and hopefully he will get back to normal soon
I would also do the morning soak in a smaller container with the pedialyte and baby food. Then do another afternoon soak in just water but in a large container where he can move around a lot, like the bath tub.
Yes you're right, he's still pooping normally so that makes me feel better. I actually did soak him in the bathtub yesterday! Thank you so much for your help I really really appreciate it.
 

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